1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clip applying devices for use in medical procedures where mammalian tissue is to be pinched and sealed in situ.
2. Prior Art
Modern surgery may be identified as laparoscopic surgery, which may be defined as minimally invasive surgery upon a patient, utilizing small or miniaturized medical devices by which body tissue is cut, removed or cauterized by small manipulable devices through small incisions or openings within the patient's body. A grasper or dissector is one such tool for that type of surgery. Such a device may be utilized to grab, dissect, treat or move tissue out of the surgical situs where other tissue may be surgically treated.
There is a need for a readily manipulable device for the grasping and or crimping/sealing of tissue by the single hand of an operating surgeon.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a re-usable tissue crimper device which is an improvement over the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an implantable medical clip device that is safer, more efficient and has the ability to maintain cleanliness during a procedure on mammalian tissue.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety mechanism for such a crimper device to control the loading of such a device.
It is another object of the present invention to prevent problems of loose clips or a loose cartridge in a medical crimper device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a crimper which will not be overloaded and wherein jamming of its jaws and/or its clips will be prevented.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a simple clip feed through mechanism with a safety lock which overcomes and helps avoid the problems of the prior art.